SQL Server – Add Column Default Value

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In SQL Server there are two ways to add a column with a default value.

Add default to existing column DateOfHire:

ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Employees] ADD  DEFAULT (getdate()) FOR [DateOfHire]

Add default value to existing column IsTerminated

ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Employees] ADD  DEFAULT ((0)) FOR [IsTerminated]

Add new column DateOfHire with default

ALTER TABLE Employees ADD DateOfHire datetime DEFAULT (GETDATE())

Add new column IsTerminated with default

ALTER TABLE Employees ADD IsTerminated datetime DEFAULT (0)

Add Default Value with Create Table

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Employees]

[EmployeeID] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,

[FirstName] [varchar](50) NULL,

[LastName] [varchar](50) NULL,

[SSN] [varchar](9) NULL,

Add default of zero

[IsTerminated] [bit] NOT NULL DEFAULT ((0)) ,

Add default of getdate()

[DateAdded] [datetime] NULL DEFAULT (getdate()),

[Comments] [varchar](255) NULL,

[DateOfHire] [datetime] NULL